metadata

Title

Harmonized data on early stage litter decomposition using tea material across Japan

Authors

(Alphabetical order excepting the first author)

Satoshi N Suzuki1,*, Mioko Ataka2, Ika Djukic 3, Tsutomu Enoki4, Karibu Fukuzawa5, Mitsuru Hirota6, Takuo Hishi7, Tsutom Hiura 8, Kazuhiko Hoshizaki9, Hideyuki Ida10 , Akira Iguchi11, Yasuo Iimura12, Takeshi Ise 13, Tanaka Kenta14, Yoshifumi Kina11, Hajime Kobayashi15, Yuji Kominami16, Hiroko Kurokawa16, Kobayashi Makoto17, Michinari Matsushita18, Rie Miyata19, Hiroyuki Muraoka20, Tatsuro Nakaji8, Masahiro Nakamura 21, Shigeru Niwa22, Nam Jin Noh23, Takanori Sato24, Tatsuyuki Seino25, Hideaki Shibata26, Ryo O. Suzuki27, Koichi Takahashi28, Tomonori Tsunoda29, Tasuhiro Ustumi 30, Kenta Watanabe11

1. The University of Tokyo Chichibu Forest, The University of Tokyo, Chichibu, Japan

2. Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

3. Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Zürich, Switzerland

4. Kasuya Research Forest, Kyusyu University, Sasaguri, Fukuoka, Japan

5. Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Otoineppu-mura, Hokkaido, Japan

6. Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan

7. Shiiba Research Forest, Kyusyu University, Shiiba, Miyazaki, Japan

8. Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Tomakomai, Japan

9. Faculty of Bioresource Sciences, Akita Prefectural University, Akita, Japan

10. Faculty of Education, Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan

11. Okinawa College, National Institute of Technology, Nago, Japan

12. School of Environmental Science, The University of Shiga Prefecture, Hikone, Japan

13. Field Science Education and Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan

14. Sugadaira Research Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, Ueda, Japan

15. Education and Research Center of Alpine Field Science, Shinshu University, Minami-Minowa-mura, Nagano, Japan

16. Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Tsukuba, Japan

17. Teshio Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Horonobe, Hokkaido, Japan

18. Forest Tree Breeding Center, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Hitachi, Japan

19. Kobe College Junior and Senior High School, Hyogo, Japan

20. River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan

21. Wakayama Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University, Kozagawa, Wakayama, Japan

22. Network Center of Forest and Grassland Survey in Monitoring Sites 1000 Project, Japan Wildlife Research Center, Tomakomai, Japan

23. Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, 2753, Australia

24. Ecohydrology Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, Seto, Japan

25. Ikawa Forest Station, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, Shizuoka, Japan

26. Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan

27. Faculty of Science, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan

28. Faculty of Science, Shinshu University, Matsumoto, Japan

29. Faculty of Agriculture, Shinshu University, Minamiminowa-mura, Nagano, Japan

30. Ashoro Research Forest, Kyusyu University, Ashoro, Hokkaido, Japan

* Corresponding author

Satoshi N. Suzuki

Email: s-suzuki@uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp, Tel.: +81-494-22-0272

Abstract

Litter and soil organic matter decomposition represents one of the major drivers of carbon and nutrient cycling in a given ecosystem; however, it also contributes to a significant production of relevant greenhouse gasses. The Japanese archipelago spans several biomes (boreal-temperate-subtropical) and covers a large range of elevations and ecosystem types. Hence, the comprehension of this fundamental biogeochemical process in diverse ecosystems is crucial to maintain their ecosystem services. In this article, we have provided data on plant leaf decomposition from 33 research sites across Japan. At each site, standard litter material with different decomposition rates, rooibos tea, and green tea were incubated for 90 days between 2012 and 2016 and the remaining mass was recorded. In total, 1904 bags were used. In addition, supplementary measurements of environmental variables essential for the interpretation of the collected data, such as soil and vegetation, were recorded. Plot-level averages of the remaining mass rates of bag contents after incubation ranged 0.17-0.51 for green tea and 0.54-0.82 for rooibos tea. Continued monitoring will also provide important insights into the temporal dynamics of litter decomposition.

Keywords

litter decomposition; elevation; latitude; biogeochemical cycle; soil functioning; tea bag



Introduction

Litter and soil organic matter decomposition represent one of the major drivers of carbon and nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems, which may act as a carbon source or sink. (Chapin III et al., 2009; Houghton, 2005). Although factors regulating litter decomposition process have been well studied (Bradford et al., 2016; Zhang et al., 2008), uncertainties in predicting litter decomposition rate have also been reported (Prescott, 2005). One of the causes for those uncertainties is variation in experimental methodologies and plant materials among studies. Studies using cellulose materials, such as cotton strips, have been suggested as an effective approach for standardizing materials to obtain consistent results (Harrison et al., 1988). However, the use of cellulose filters has been criticized, because this method does not account for the complex chemical composition of plant litter (Tiegs et al., 2007). Recently, Keuskamp et al. (2013) developed a novel approach (Tea Bag Index) to collect uniform decomposition data across ecosystems, using commercially available tea bags as highly standardized plant materials. This approach enables the development of a global scale dataset of litter decomposition activity across a variety of ecosystems. Following Keuskamp et al. (2013), several studies using tea bags have been carried out across the globe (e.g. Didion et al., 2016; Djukic et al., 2018; Mori et al., 2016). Because the decomposition rate of litter is mainly determined by litter quality and soil environments (Zhang et al., 2008), the differences in the decomposition rate of such a highly standardized material between sites reflect the difference in the soil environment between sites. Therefore, the decomposition experiments using tea bags can provide a general index for soil functions, such as material cycle and carbon stocking.

This paper reports data on early-stage (90-days) decomposition of 1904 tea bags, in 87 study plots across 33 research sites (Fig. 1), including those participating in research networks such as JALPS (Japanese Alps Inter-University Cooperative Project) and JaLTER (Japan Long-Term Ecological Research Network), as well as other independent sites, across the Japanese archipelago. Our dataset covers a large range of latitudes and elevations (Fig. 2), and a variety of ecosystems, including sub-tropical, warm temperate evergreen forests, cool temperate deciduous forests, subalpine and boreal conifer forests, alpine shrub forests, artificial conifer plantations, and semi-natural grasslands. Supplementary data for environmental variables, soil, and vegetation were also collected essential for the interpretation of the collected data. Ongoing research in the Japanese archipelago is not only providing insights into litter decomposition in the recent climate across diverse ecosystems, but also into projected climatic scenarios, and continued monitoring will permit significant understanding of temporal dynamics across diverse ecosystems. This dataset enables us to examine the responses of decomposition activity, which is strongly related to soil functions such as material cycles and carbon stocks, to a variety of environmental variables, such as temperature and vegetation types (Fig. 3).

Fig. 1 Distribution of the study plots (red closed circles) of tea bag decomposition experiments in Japanese archipelago. The color gradient heat map represents a 1-km mesh model of mean annual temperature (MAT, °C) from Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010 (Japan Meteorological Agency, 2012).

Fig. 2 Elevation and latitude of the study plots (red closed circles). The background dots indicate all 1 x 1 km-mesh points of the Japanese archipelago with Köppen climate classification based on the Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010; Cfa/Cwa, humid subtropical; Cfb/Cwb, Temperate oceanic; Dfa/Dwa, hot-summer humid continental; Dfb/Dwb, warm-summer humid continental; ET, Alpine tundra. The second letter of the classification indicates precipitation patterns; f, without dry season; w, dry winter (monsoon influenced).

Fig. 3. Mass remaining rate of green tea and rooibos tea after incubation (ca. 90 days) were plotted against mean August temperature as an example. Results of experiments in summer are shown. Each point indicates the mean of each plot (see Metadata). EB, evergreen broadleaf forests; DB, deciduous broadleaf forests; SR, shrub forests; EC, evergreen coniferous forests; DC, deciduous coniferous forests; BC, broadleaf/conifer mixed forests; FL, agricultural fields; GL, grasslands.

Table 1 Summary and contributors of study sites. See also 8.1 Plot metadata.

Site

Plot

Treatment

Ecosystem type

Latitude (degree N in WGS84)

Longitude (degree E in WGS84)

Elevation (m)

MAT (°C)

MAP (mm y-1)

Year of experiments

Contributors

Contact email (Replace "_at_" with @)

Site-specific description

Nakagawa

NGWNA

Nitrogen addition; three slope positions

DB

44.8104

142.1116

160

6.1

1214

2015

Karibu Fukuzawa*

caribu_at_fsc.hokudai.ac.jp

The plots were established in a conifer-broadleaved mixed forest with dense understory vegetation ( Sasa senanensis, Sasa kurilensis) in Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University. Watershed-scale nitrogen addition (50 kgN ha -1) has been conducted since 2001. One plot (NGWNA) was in the nitrogen addition area, and the other (NGWNN) was in a control (non-nitrogen addition) area. Within both plots, bags were buried in upper, middle and lower positions of slopes.

NGWNN

Control; three slope positions

DB

44.8100

142.1117

160

6.1

1214

2015

NGW080

None

SR

44.8234

142.1185

80

5.1

1240

2015

Masahiro Nakamura*, Makoto Kobayashi*

masahiro_at_fsc.hokudai.ac.jp, makoto_at_fsc.hokudai.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 80 to 600 m a.s.l. on Mt. Panke in the Nakagawa Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University.

NGW350

None

EC

44.8369

142.1587

350

3.9

1262

2015

NGW600

None

EC

44.8562

142.1497

600

3.2

1262

2015

Uryu

URN

None

BC

44.3558

142.2581

300

4.4

1400

2016

Hideaki Shibata*, Karibu Fukuzawa

shiba_at_fsc.hokudai.ac.jp

The plot was established in an oak-dominated cool-temperate mixed natural forest with Sasa dwarf bamboo as the predominant understory species. The topography was mostly flat, on the ridge of a small watershed (ca. 3.2 ha). Further information is available in the paper by
> Urakawa et al., (2014) (see URN site). <p>

Ashoro

ASR

None

DB

43.2625

143.5078

330

6.6

822

2016

Yasuhiro Utsumi*

utsumi_at_forest.kyushu-u.ac.jp

The plot was established in a cool-temperate deciduous broad-leaf forest, represented by Quercus crispula and Acer mono, in the Ashoro Research Forest, Kyusyu University.

Tomakomai

TMLM

6 types of litter manipulations

DB

42.6818

141.6262

36

7.5

1183

2012, 2014

Shigeru Niwa*

sniwa_at_jwrc.or.jp

The plot was established in a natural secondary forest in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University. Bags were buried in 18 triangle subplots with 6 different treatments combinations of litterfall manipulation (addition, removal and no manipulation) and fences (with and without a fence to prevent movement of soil invertebrates).

TMSW

Soil warming & Control

DB

42.7096

141.5661

90

7.2

1210

2012, 2014

Shigeru Niwa*, Tsutom Hiura

sniwa_at_jwrc.or.jp

The plot was established in a natural old-growth forest in the Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Hokkaido University. The forest regenerated after the volcanic eruption of Mt. Tarumae in 1669 and 1739 (ca. 280−350 years old) (Igarashi, 1987). Bags were buried in 4 warmed soil subplots (+ 5 degree C) and 4 control subplots (Ueda et al., 2013).

TMNA

Nitrogen addition

DB

42.6989

141.5713

91

7.1

1293

2016

Tatsuro Nakaji*, Tsutom Hiura

nakaji_at_fsc.hokudai.ac.jp

The plots were established in a natural old-growth forest, near TMSW (see above for details). Nitrogen addition (100 kg N ha-1) has been conducted in an area of 9.2 ha since 2013. One of two plots was established in the nitrogen added area (TMNA) and the other was outside this area (TMNN). A decomposition experiment of fir and oak leaf litter was carried out nearby the plot TMNA from 1999 to 2001 (Miyamoto and Hiura, 2007).

TMNN

Control

DB

42.7029

141.5714

97

7

1227

2016

Hakkoda

HKD0400

None

DB

40.5935

140.9643

416

7.5

1801

2016

Hiroko Kurokawa*

hirokokurokawa_at_gmail.com

The plots were established along an elevational gradient every 200 m from 400 to 1400 m a.s.l. on Mt. Hakkoda. The plots at lower elevation (HKD0400, HKD0600, HKD0800) are dominated by Fagus crenata, and the plots at higher elevation (HKD1000, HKD1200, HKD1400) are dominated by Abies mariesii.

HKD0600

None

DB

40.5964

140.9461

649

6.6

1827

2016

HKD0800

None

DB

40.6358

140.9308

791

5.4

1993

2016

HKD1000

None

EC

40.6596

140.8515

980

4.2

1881

2016

HKD1200

None

EC

40.6663

140.8671

1214

2.8

1838

2016

HKD1400

None

EC

40.6729

140.8740

1404

2.1

1838

2016

Kanumazawa

KMZ

Riparian & Terrace

DB

39.1100

140.8550

450

8.6

2056

2016

Kazuhiko Hoshizaki*, Michinari Matsushita

khoshiz872_at_akita-pu.ac.jp

The plot was located on the left-side bank of a riparian plot (1 ha), varying widely in soil temperatures. Bags were buried in riparian and terrace topographies in 2016. The elevations of the riparian and terrace areas were ca. 430 and 460 m a.s.l., respectively. Site description is available in Hoshizaki et al., (1997) and Masaki et al., (2007).

Karayama

KRY

None

DB

36.9861

138.4495

527

9.9

2282

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hideyuki Ida

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in a secondary beech forest.

Nabekurayama

NBY

None

DB

36.9772

138.3924

1019

7.7

2179

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hideyuki Ida

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in an old-growth beech forest on Mt. Nabekura.

Shinsyuji

SSJ

None

DB

36.9176

138.3966

325

11.4

1840

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hideyuki Ida

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in a small fragmented beech forest in a northern part of Iiyama city.

Kayanodaira

KYD

None

DB

36.8383

138.5000

1503

5.1

1675

2012

Yasuo Iimura*, Hideyuki Ida

iimura.y_at_ses.usp.ac.jp

The plot was established in an old-growth beech forest in the Institute for Nature Study, Shinshu University.

Nekodake

NEK1500

None

SR

36.5334

138.3642

1490

5.5

1294

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Mitsuru Hirota

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 1500 to 2000 m a.s.l. on the western slope of Mt. Nekodake. Vegetation was sparse Rhododendron shrub with dense Sasa bamboo, except for NEK1500 where Rhododendron shrub with grasses predominated.

NEK1700

None

SR

36.5409

138.3765

1683

4.3

1327

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Mitsuru Hirota

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

NEK1800

None

SR

36.5425

138.3816

1776

3.8

1327

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Mitsuru Hirota

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

NEK1900

None

SR

36.5435

138.3854

1888

3.1

1327

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Mitsuru Hirota

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

NEK2000

None

SR

36.5453

138.3883

1981

2.6

1327

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Mitsuru Hirota

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Sugadaira

SGDG

Warming & Control

GL

36.5237

138.3493

1326

6.5

1223

2012, 2016

Tanaka Kenta*, Ryo Suzuki*

kenta_at_sugadaira.tsukuba.ac.jp,

susukigrassland_at_yahoo.co.jp

The plots were established in four types of vegetation in the Sugadaira Montane Research Center, University of Tsukuba: Grassland (SGDG), Pinus forest (SGDP), Pinus-deciduous broadleaf mixed forest (SGDM), and deciduous broadleaf forest (SGDD). In 2012, the experiments were carried out inside and outside of open top chambers, which were installed to warm air temperature in the grassland. In 2016, bags were not buried in SGDD.

SGDP

None

EC

36.5219

138.3498

1326

6.5

1223

2012, 2016

Tanaka Kenta*, Ryo Suzuki, Hirota Mitsuru

kenta_at_sugadaira.tsukuba.ac.jp

SGDM

None

BC

36.5207

138.3506

1305

6.5

1223

2012, 2016

Tanaka Kenta*, Ryo Suzuki, Hirota Mitsuru

kenta_at_sugadaira.tsukuba.ac.jp

SGDD

None

DB

36.5198

138.3547

1335

6.3

1258

2012

Tanaka Kenta*, Ryo Suzuki

kenta_at_sugadaira.tsukuba.ac.jp

Oobora

SOB

None

DB

36.5033

138.3285

1409

6.2

1181

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hideyuki Ida, Ryo Suzuki

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in a beech forest.

Gofukuji

GFJ

None

DB

36.1657

138.0196

983

9

1203

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hideyuki Ida

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in a small fragmented beech-oak forest.

Ooshirakawa

O SB

None

DB

36.1500

136.8167

1354

5.5

3094

2012

Yasuo Iimura*

iimura.y_at_ses.usp.ac.jp

The plot was established in an old-growth beech forest.

Takayama

TKY

Soil warming & Control

DB

36.1450

137.4233

1436

6.7

1930

2013, 2014, 2015

NamJin Noh*, Hiroyuki Muraoka*

n.noh_at_westernsydney.edu.au, muraoka_at_green.gifu-u.ac.jp

The plots were established in the Takayama Field Station, Gifu University. In plot TKY, bags were buried in experimental soil-warming quadrats and control quadrats in 2013, 2014 and 2015. See Noh et al., (2017) for details of the soil warming experiments. In 2012, the experiment was also carried out in natural soil conditions with dense dwarf bamboo ( Sasa senanensis) understory in plot TAKS, but without dwarf bamboo in plot TAKN.

TAKN

None

DB

36.1333

137.4167

1304

6.9

1902

2012

Yasuo Iimura*

iimura.y_at_ses.usp.ac.jp

TAKS

None

DB

36.1333

137.4167

1304

6.9

1902

2012

Yasuo Iimura*

iimura.y_at_ses.usp.ac.jp

Norikura

NRK1600

None

EC

36.1120

137.6116

1620

4.6

2576

2012

Koichi Takahashi*

koichit_at_shinshu-u.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 1600 to 2800 m a.s.l. on Mt. Norikura. The three lower plots were in subalpine conifer forests and the higher two were in alpine dwarf stone pine shrub.

NRK1950

None

EC

36.1161

137.5924

1986

3.5

2643

2012

NRK2300

None

EC

36.1198

137.5708

2361

0.3

2690

2012

NRK2500

None

SR

36.1158

137.5686

2499

0.1

2691

2012

NRK2800

None

SR

36.1141

137.5500

2792

-1.4

2719

2012

Yatsugatake

NYT1350

None

BC

36.0327

138.2755

1323

8.1

1535

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 1350 to 2400 m a.s.l. in the Northern Yatsugatake mountains. The plot at 2400 m was located in a wave-regenerated forest (Suzuki et al., 2009). The plots at lower elevation (NYT1350, NYT1500, NYT1700) were located in montane deciduous broadleaf forests, and the plots at higher elevation (NYT1800, NYT2150, NYT2400) were in subalpine Abies forests.

NYT1500

None

DB

36.0324

138.2899

1504

5.9

1578

2012

NYT1700

None

DB

36.0337

138.3049

1670

5.0

1592

2012

NYT1800

None

EC

36.0335

138.3226

1816

4.2

1594

2012

NYT2150

None

EC

36.0660

138.3259

2137

3.4

1568

2012

NYT2400

None

EC

36.0743

138.3326

2380

1.6

1559

2012

Kawakami

KWB

None

DB

35.9209

138.5054

1610

5.6

1381

2012

Satoshi Suzuki, Tatsuyuki Seino

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established in natural forests dominated by Fagus crenata (KWB) and Chamaecyparis pisifera (KWS), in the Kawakami Station of the Forest Mountain Research Center, University of Tsukuba. Species composition and stand structure of KWB were described by Seino (2018). KWB is located on a ridge and KWS is in a humid depression.

KWS

None

EC

35.9241

138.4938

1435

6.4

1369

2012

Satoshi Suzuki, Tatsuyuki Seino, Hajime Kobayashi

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Chichibu

CCB0300

None

DB

35.9977

139.0625

340

12.4

1333

2014

Satoshi Suzuki*

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 300 to 1850 m a.s.l. in the University of Tokyo Chichibu Forest. Soil properties were described by Shigyo et al. (2017). In 2014, bags were buried inside and outside of a deer exclosure fence (installed in 2013-2014) at each elevation, except the plot at 300 m.a.s.l. (without fence). In 2016, bags were buried in only 3 plots at 900, 1300, and 1800 m in elevation.

CCB0900

Fence & Control

DB

35.9195

138.8318

900

9.5

1586

2014, 2016

CCB1150

Fence & Control

DB

35.9139

138.8195

1170

8.2

1585

2014

CCB1300

Fence & Control

DB

35.9174

138.8177

1300

8.2

1585

2014, 2016

CCB1600

Fence & Control

EC

35.9224

138.8107

1620

7.2

1582

2014

CCB1800

Fence & Control

DB

35.9154

138.8012

1790

6.3

1589

2014, 2016

CCB1850

Fence & Control

EC

35.9149

138.7977

1840

4.5

1588

2014

Terasawa

TER1

None

EC

35.8921

138.0389

1128

8.4

1390

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hajime Kobayashi

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established in a plantation of Chamaecyparis obtusa in the Terasawa Station, Education and Research Center of Alpine Field Science, Shinshu University. One (TER1) was in an intermediate position on a slope, and the other (TER2) was in a lower position of the slope.

TER2

None

EC

35.8921

138.0382

1155

8.4

1390

2012

Minamiminowa

KNP

None

EC

35.8665

137.9324

789

10.5

1533

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established in three types of forests in the Minamiminowa campus of the Shinshu University; Pinus plantation (KNP), Larix plantation (KNL) and deciduous broadleaf-conifer mixed forest (KNM). Bags were buried in summer in 2012 and winter in 2012/2013 (KNM only).

KNL

None

BC

35.8665

137.9333

792

10.5

1533

2012

KNM

Summer & Winter

DB

35.8673

137.9330

794

10.5

1533

2012

Nishikoma

NKM1450

None

DC

35.8227

137.8510

1490

6.1

2443

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plots were established along an elevational gradient from 1450 to 2600 m a.s.l. in the Nishikoma Station, Education and Research Center of Alpine Field Science, Shinshu University. At 2600 m (NKM2600), in alpine Ericaceae shrub, tea bags were buried inside and outside of open top chambers (1.1 x 1.1 m), which were installed to experimentally increase air temperature. NKM1450 was in Larix kaempferi plantation, NKM1500 was in montane deciduous broadleaf forest, NKM1650 was in Tsuga diversifolia forest, and NKM1850, NKM2000, NKM2200, and NKM2400 were in subalpine Abies forests.

NKM1500

None

DB

35.8219

137.8530

1519

6.1

2443

2012

NKM1650

None

EC

35.8202

137.8498

1694

6.1

2443

2012

NKM1850

None

EC

35.8209

137.8449

1864

4.6

2504

2012

NKM2000

None

EC

35.8176

137.8384

2043

4.6

2504

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hajime Kobayashi

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

NKM2200

None

EC

35.8140

137.8368

2312

1.1

2591

2012

NKM2400

None

EC

35.8112

137.8352

2482

1.1

2591

2012

NKM2600

Warming & Control

SR

35.8093

137.8345

2584

1.1

2591

2012

Satoshi Suzuki*, Hajime Kobayashi, Tanaka Kenta

s-suzuki_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

Hachioji

TMUE

None

EB

35.6192

139.3836

121

14.3

1653

2014

Tomonori Tsunoda*

ttsunoda_at_shinshu-u.ac.jp

The plots were established in evergreen broadleaf forest (TMUE), bamboo forest (TMUB), and agricultural field (TMUF) in the Minamiosawa campus of the Tokyo Metropolitan University.

TMUB

None

EB

35.6207

139.3866

116

14.3

1653

2014

TMUF

None

FL

35.6204

139.3863

113

14.3

1653

2014

Ashiu

AUBF

None

DB

35.3486

135.7639

656

9.9

2184

2015

Takeshi Ise*

ise_at_kais.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Three plots were established in deciduous broadleaf forests on slopes (AUBS) and flat areas (AUBF), and in an evergreen coniferous forest (AUC) in the Ashiu Experimental Forests, Kyoto University.

AUBS

None

DB

35.3425

135.7578

657

9.9

2165

2015

AUC

None

EC

35.3403

135.7581

634

9.9

2197

2015

Akazu

AKZ

Ridge & Valley

BC

35.2180

137.1682

342

12.8

1860

2016

Takanori Sato*

satot_at_uf.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

The plot was established in the Akazu Research Forest in the Ecohydrology Research Institute, University of Tokyo. The Akazu Research Forest is a secondary forest in the warm‐temperate zone and is composed of a mixture of deciduous and evergreen broadleaf trees, and evergreen conifers (Chandrathilake et al., 2016).

Yamashiro

YMSR

Ridge

DB

34.7900

135.8410

217

15.7

1511

2015, 2016

Mioko Ataka*, Yuji Kominami

teshimamioko_at_yahoo.co.jp

The two plots were established in ridge (YMSR) and valley (YMSV) areas in deciduous broadleaf forest in the Yamashiro Experimental Forest. Bags were buried in YMSR in 2015, and in both plots in 2016.

YMSV

Valley

DB

34.7870

135.8388

164

15.7

1511

2015, 2016

Nishinomiya

NMY

None

EB

34.7569

135.3510

10

16.4

1327

2016/2017

Rie Miyata*

miyamiya.r_at_gmail.com

The plot was established in an urban forest. The experiments were conducted only during winter of 2016/2017.

Kasuya

KSJ

None

EB&DB

33.6528

130.5453

520

14.6

1917

2016

Tsutomu Enoki*

enoki_at_forest.kyushu-u.ac.jp

The plot was established in a broadleaf forest, co-dominated by Quercus salicina and Carpinus tschonoskii, in the Kasuya Research Forest, Kyusyu University.

Shiiba

SIB

None

BC

32.3984

131.1726

1054

9.4

3072

2016

Takuo Hishi*

hishi_at_forest.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Bags were buried in three plots, which were established along an elevational gradient from 1150 to 1600 m a.s.l. in the Siiba Experimental Forest, Kyusyu University, in 2015. Bags were also buried in another plot in 1050 m a.s.l in 2016. Because the incubated bags included large amounts of soil, the bags were washed with water before drying.

SIB1100

None

DB

32.3600

131.0887

1114

9.8

3123

2015

SIB1300

None

DB

32.3654

131.0784

1323

8.3

3131

2015

SIB1600

None

DB

32.3707

131.0764

1592

7.4

3186

2015

Nago

NGDK

None

EB

26.5873

128.0115

250

20.9

2085

2015

Kenta Watanabe*, Akira Iguchi, Yoshifumi Kina

kenta-w_at_okinawa-ct.ac.jp

The plot was established in an evergreen forest, dominated by Elaeocarpus and Machilus with shrub species Psychotria rubra, near the mountain trail of Mt. Nago.

Naha

NHSU

None

EB

26.2272

127.7151

55

22.5

2035

2015

The plot was established in the Sueyoshi park, a remnant of the limestone evergreen forest, which is a typical forest of the south of Okinawa-jima Island. Dominant trees are Ficus and Turpinia with shrub species Psychotria manillensis.

* contact person

Reference in Table 1

Hoshizaki, K., Suzuki, W., Sasaki, S. (1997) Impacts of secondary seed dispersal and herbivory on seedling survival in Aesculus turbinata, Journal of Vegetation Science 8, 735-742.

Igarashi, Y., (1987) Vegetational succession in the Tomakomai Experiment Forest area (in Japanese with English summary). Research Bulletins of the College Experiment Forests, Hokkaido University 44:405-427.

Masaki, T., Osumi, K., Takahashi, K., Hoshizaki, K., Matsune, K., Suzuki, W. (2007) Effects of microenvironmental heterogeneity on the seed-to-seedling process and tree coexistence in a riparian forest, Ecological Research 22, 724-734.

Miyamoto, T., Hiura, T. (2007) Decomposition and nitrogen release from the foliage litter of fir (Abies sachalinensis) and oak ( Quercus crispula) under different forest canopies in Hokkaido, Japan. Ecological Research 23:673-680.

Noh, N. J., Kuribayashi, M., Saitoh, T. M., Muraoka, H. (2017) Different responses of soil, heterotrophic and autotrophic respirations to a 4-year soil warming experiment in a cool-temperate deciduous broadleaved forest in central Japant. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 247: 560-570.

Seino, T. (2018) Stand structure and regeneration of a beech-dominated forest in the Kawakami Forest, Mountain Science Center, University of Tsukuba, central Japan. Chubu Forestry Research, 66:23-26.

Shigyo, N., Umeki, K., Hirao, T. (2017) Relationships between soil properties and environmental factors along elevational gradients in the University of Tokyo Chichibu Forest. Miscellaneous Information, the University of Tokyo Forests 59:223-233.

Suzuki, S. N., Kachi, N., Suzuki, J-I. (2009) Changes in variance components of forest structure along a chronosequence in a wave-regenerated forest, Ecological Research 24:1371-1379.

Suzuki, W., Osumi, K., Masaki, T., Takahashi, K., Daimaru, H., Hoshizaki, K. (2002) Disturbance regime and community structures of a riparian and an adjacent terrace stands in the Kanumazawa Riparian Research Forest, northern Japan. Forest Ecology and Management 157:285-301.

Ueda, M. U., Muller, O., Nakamura, M., Nakaji, T., Hiura, T. (2013) Soil warming decreases inorganic and dissolved organic nitrogen pools by preventing the soil from freezing in a cool temperate forest. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 61:105-108.

Urakawa et al. (2014) Biogeochemical nitrogen properties of forest soils in the Japanese archipelago. Ecological Research 30:1-2 (Data Paper) https://doi.org/10.1007/s11284-014-1212-8

Metadata

1. Title

Harmonized data on early stage litter decomposition using tea material across Japan

2. Identifier

ERDP-2019-04

3. Contributor

The dataset was compiled by Satoshi N. Suzuki. The experiments that started in 2016 were initiated by Ika Djukic. Contributors for each site are presented in Table 1.

4. Associated project

Japanese Alps Inter-University Cooperative Project (JALPS)

Japan Long-Term Ecological Research Network (JaLTER)

TeaComposition initiative

5. Geographic coverage

A. Geographic description

Japan

B Bounding coordinates

Latitude: 26.2272° N - 44.8369° N

Longitude: 127.7151° E - 143.5078° E

6. Temporal coverage

2012-2016

7. Methods

Study sites

Study sites were distributed across the Japanese archipelago (26.2272° N - 44.8369° N), with a large variation in elevation, ranging from 10 to 2792 m above sea level (Fig 1, Table 1). The vegetation of study sites includes sub-tropical and warm temperate evergreen forests, cool temperate deciduous forests, subalpine and boreal conifer forests, alpine shrub forests, artificial conifer plantations, and semi-natural grasslands. The climate of the Japanese archipelago is a monsoonal climate, generally with wet summers and dry winters. Some sites, where the experiments were conducted in 2016, were included in a world-wide network of the tea bag experiments, the TeaComposition initiative (Djukic et al., 2018). The primary results of the experiments by the TeaComposition initiative can be found in Djukic et al. (2018).

In most of the study sites, studies were conducted in several plots with different environmental conditions, such as elevation, vegetation, and topography, or with different experimental treatments, such as soil-warming with an electric cable, aerial warming by open-top-chambers, litterfall manipulation by removal and addition, and nitrogen addition (see Table 1). See Table 1 for other site-specific conditions.

Experimental procedure

Commercially available tea bags of green and rooibos tea (Lipton Unilever) were used. Chemical compositions of the green and rooibos tea were reported by Keuskamp et al. (2013). In brief, green tea (leaves of the tea tree Camellia sinensis), with high cellulose content, is expected to decompose fast, and rooibos tea (leaves of Aspalanthus linearis), with high lignin content, is expected to decompose slowly. The bag material was made of woven nylon mesh, with a mesh size of 0.25 mm allowing free passage for the microorganisms. Before the start of the experiment, the initial dry weight of the bag content was determined by subtracting the averaged weight of an empty bag including tag and rope (0.248 g) from the dry weight of the bag including the tea leaves.

Studies were conducted, mostly in summer months, between 2012-2016. In each study plot, several subplots (10-m apart at least) were installed (Fig. 4), and 2 replicates for each type of tea were buried in each subplot (n = 4-10 per plot for each type) at the depth of 5-8 cm and within a distance of 10 cm. The bags were retrieved after ca. 90 days, dried at least 48 hours at 70°C and weighed after the removal of adhered soil particles. Dry weights of the bag contents were weighed directly, or by subtracting the average weight of an empty bag (bag, tag, and rope) from the total weight of the bag.

See Table 1 for the site-specific exceptions to the procedure. Opportunistically, some environmental variables, such as soil temperature, soil pH, and carbon and nitrogen contents in the soil, were measured.


Fig. 4 Typical study design at each site. Each site includes one to several plots; each plot includes several subplots; two replicates of the two tea types were buried in each subplot.

8. Data structure

8.1. Plot metadata

File name: data_Plot.csv

Format and storage mode: ASCII text, comma separated. No compression scheme was used.

Header information: The first row of the file contains the variable names below.

Header

Types of data

Description

site

Character string

Site name

plot

Character string

Plot code

treatment

Character string

Experimental treatment(s) for the plot (if any)

etype

Character string

Ecosystem type; DB deciduous broadleaf forest; EB evergreen broadleaf forest; ED Evergreen-deciduous mixed broadleaf forest; EC evergreen coniferous forest; DC deciduous coniferous forest; BC broadleaf-conifer mixed forest; SR shrub including alpine shrub and dwarf bamboo shrub; GL grassland; FL agricultural field

lat

Numeric

Latitude (degree, WGS84)

lon

Numeric

Longitude (degree, WGS84)

elevation

Numeric

Elevation (m)

MAT

Numeric

Mean annual temperature (degree C). Obtained from climate database (Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010 or WorldClim) or local meteorological observation data.

MAP

Numeric

Mean annual precipitation (mm). Obtained from climate database (Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010 or WorldClim) or local meteorological observation data.

Mean01Temp

Numeric

Mean temperature of January (degree C). Obtained from Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010.

Mean08Temp

Numeric

Mean temperature of August (degree C). Obtained from Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010.

8.2. Subplot metadata

File name: data_Subplot.csv

Format and storage mode: ASCII text, comma separated. No compression scheme was used.

Header information: The first row of the file contains the variable names below.

Header

Storage type

Description

site

Character string

Site name

plot

Character string

Plot code

treatment

Character string

Experimental treatment (if any)

subplotID

Character string

Subplot ID. IDs were not duplicated among all sites.

pH

Numeric

Soil pH. Generally, pH was measured in extract with H2O of surface mineral soil from 0-5 cm depth.

soilC

Numeric

Soil total carbon concentration (%). Generally, surface mineral soil from 0-5 cm depth was sampled.

soilN

Numeric

Soil total nitrogen concentration (%). Generally, surface mineral soil from 0-5 cm depth was sampled.

AveSoilT_90days

Numeric

Average soil temperature (degree C) during the incubation period (ca. 90 days). Generally, soil temperature in 5 cm depth were measured by a logger.

sdate1

Numeric

Date tea bags were buried in YYYYMMDD format.

sdate2

Numeric

Date tea bags were recovered in YYYYMMDD format.

R

Numeric

Average mass remaining rate of rooibos tea (n = 2 in general) in the subplot.

G

Numeric

Average mass remaining rate of green tea (n = 2 in general) in the subplot.

note

Character string

Notification for the subplot.

8.3. Weights of tea bags

File name: data_TeaBagWeight.csv

Format and storage mode: ASCII text, comma separated. No compression scheme was used.

Header information: The first row of the file contains the variable names below.

Header

Types of data

Description

site

Character string

Site name

plot

Character string

Plot code

subplotID

Character string

Subplot ID.

bagID

Character string

Tea bag ID. IDs were not duplicated within a site but may be duplicated among sites.

type

Character

tea type; R: rooibos tea, G: green tea

sdate1

Numeric

Date tea bags were buried in YYYYMMDD format.

sdate2

Numeric

Date tea bags were recovered in YYYYMMDD format.

IniWt

Numeric

Initial weight of tea without bag, tag and rope (g).

Wt

Numeric

Weight of tea after incubation without bag, tag and rope (g).

rem.rate

Numeric

Mass remaining rate of tea (Wt/IniWt).

note

Character string

Notification for the data

ErrCode

Numeric

Error code; 0 no error; 1 missing; 2 not available due to the bag broken; 3 the bag was exposed to ground; 5 unknown bag identity due to tag loss

9. Acknowledgements

We thank all the members who helped to carry out the experiments. This study was partially supported by the Japanese Alps Inter-University Cooperative Project. For the 2016 experiments, tea bags used were sponsored by UNILEVER and applied protocol was established within TeaComposition Initiative, which is supported through the International Long-Term Ecological Research Network and the cost action ClimMani. We also acknowledge a variety of funding supports from individual research activities at each site.

References

Bradford, M. A., Berg, B., Maynard, D. S., Wieder, W. R., & Wood, S. A. (2016). Understanding the dominant controls on litter decomposition. Journal of Ecology, 104(1), 229-238. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12507

Chapin III, F. S., McFarland, J., David McGuire, A., Euskirchen, E. S., Ruess, R. W., & Kielland, K. (2009). The changing global carbon cycle: Linking plant-soil carbon dynamics to global consequences. Journal of Ecology, 97(5), 840-850. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2745.2009.01529.x

Didion, M., Repo, A., Liski, J., Forsius, M., Bierbaumer, M., & Djukic, I. (2016). Towards harmonizing leaf litter decomposition studies using standard tea bags-a field study and model application. Forests, 7(8), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.3390/f7080167

Djukic, I., Kepfer-Rojas, S., Schmidt, I. K., Larsen, K. S., Beier, C., Berg, B., … Tóth, Z. (2018). Early stage litter decomposition across biomes. Science of the Total Environment, 628- 629, 1369-1394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.012

Harrison, A. F., Latter, P. M., & Walton, D. W. H. (Eds.). (1988). Cottton strip assay: An index of decomposition in soils. Grange-Over-Sands,UK: Institute of Terrestrial Ecology.

Houghton, R. A. (2005). Aboveground forest biomass and the global carbon balance. Global Change Biology, 11(6), 945-958. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2486.2005.00955.x

Japan Meteorological Agency (2012) Mesh Normal Climatic Data 2010. In: Natl. L. Numer. Inf. http://nlftp.mlit.go.jp/ksj/gml/datalist/KsjTmplt-G02.html

Keuskamp, J. A., Dingemans, B. J. J., Lehtinen, T., & Sarneel, J. M. (2013). Tea Bag Index : a novel approach to collect uniform decomposition data across ecosystems, 1070-1075. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.12097

Mori, A. S., Isbell, F., Fujii, S., Makoto, K., Matsuoka, S., & Osono, T. (2016). Low multifunctional redundancy of soil fungal diversity at multiple scales. Ecology Letters, 19(3), 249-259. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.12560

Prescott, C. E. (2005). Do rates of litter decomposition tell us anything we really need to know? Forest Ecology and Management, 220(1-3), 66-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2005.08.005

Tiegs, S. D., Langhans, S. D., Tockner, K., & Gessner, M. O. (2007). Cotton strips as a leaf surrogate to measure decomposition in river floodplain habitats. Journal of the North American Benthological Society, 26 (1), 70-77. https://doi.org/10.1899/0887-3593(2007)26[70:CSAALS]2.0.CO;2

Zhang, D., Hui, D., Luo, Y., & Zhou, G. (2008). Rates of litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems: global patterns and controlling factors. Journal of Plant Ecology, 1(2), 85-93. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpe/rtn002